10 Out-of-the-Ordinary Scholarships

Learn how being unusual can earn you cash for college

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College is expensive—no surprise there. But while academic and sports scholarships can help foot the bill, they aren't the only funding options. There are plenty of other cash prizes out there to help pay for school, and you may not even need a high GPA. Many organizations are rewarding students who satisfy certain criteria or excel in unconventional areas (like duck calling, nudism or marble shooting), proving that sometimes it pays not to do your homework. Read on to learn what you have to do to earn one of the top 10 most unusual scholarships.

Star Trek fans, it looks like your hobby might just pay off! The Klingon Language Institute is a school dedicated to the study of Klingon, a linguist-developed alien language spoken by Star Trek's Klingon characters. Each year, one student at the Institute wins the $500 Kor Memorial Scholarship, which is intended to recognize and encourage scholarship in fields of language study. Don't know what jolvoy'* means? No problem. The prize is open to all students who demonstrate a creative interest in language––fluency in Klingon is not required.

If you've ever dreamed of competing in a Project Runway–style fashion competition, consider going for one of Duck Brand Duct Tape's Stuck at Prom Scholarships. To enter, you and a date must attend your prom dressed entirely in outfits made of duct tape. You'll be judged on workmanship, originality, use of color, accessories and quantity of duct tape used. There are 20 prizes total. First place wins $3,000 for each member of the couple, second place receives $2,000 each, third place earns $1,000 each and runners-up get $500 each. Photo courtesy of Duck® brand duct tape Stuck at Prom® Scholarship Contest.

If duct tape clothes aren't your thing (or any clothes at all, for that matter), consider applying for an American Nudist Research Library scholarship from Sunsport Gardens Family Naturist Resort. The organization gives $1,000 to a high school senior or recent grad with at least three years of membership in a nudist organization. Winners are judged on their…essays. (Get your mind out of the gutter!) Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Tall teens who are sick of being told to pursue a career in professional basketball can get a leg up on their academics thanks to the Tall Clubs International scholarships. Each year TCI offers a $1,000 scholarship for high school seniors. To qualify, women must be at least 5'10" and men must measure at least 6'2". Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Sure, these days most teens can tweet, but high school seniors who know another avian language are eligible for some serious cash for college. The Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce in Arkansas awards scholarships to students who excel at duck calling. Honoring the memory of Stuttgart's legendary champion duck callers, Chick and Sophie Major, the competition began in 1974 with a single $500 scholarship given to the winner. Now, four awards totaling $4,250 are handed out. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Students who can trace their lineage back to a Confederate soldier may have a chance at $1,000 or more in college scholarships. The United Daughters of the Confederacy awards money to college or graduate students who can produce evidence of their family ties as well as maintain a 3.0 or above grade point average. Photo courtesy of Chris Denbow via Flickr.

Finally—a reward for students who've been doing too much horsing around! Well, sort of. High school seniors who have a demonstrated interest in Arabian Horses are eligible for a college scholarship through the Arabian Horse Foundation. The application process is fairly standard: Students are required to provide SAT scores and examples of their leadership abilities. And, of course, a description of their equine involvement over the past few years. Photo courtesy Shutterstock.

Listen up, mibsters! (That means marble shooter, for those of you not in the know.) Each year the National Marbles Tournament awards $5,000 in scholarships, as well as plenty of awards and prizes, to mibsters ages 8 to 14. Champions of local tournaments play more than 1,200 games over the course of a four-day tournament to compete for the cash. Photo courtesy Shutterstock.

Kids whose parents are members of The Michigan Llama Association, which is devoted to supporting Michigan's llama community, are eligible to apply for a $500 college scholarship that can be renewed as many as three times. You don't have to be an expert in the field, but you do have to write an essay about you or your family's involvement with the animals, so it might be a good idea to actually listen to the 'rents when they start going on about the llamas again. Photo courtesy Shutterstock.

Got scholarships? You might. Each year Body by Milk awards 25 Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) Awards worth $7,500 each to outstanding athletes, students and teens involved in leadership or community service. To win, you have to send in a picture of yourself with a milk mustache and write an original essay about how drinking milk has done your body good. Photo courtesy Shutterstock.